


Forewarning

by IonicCompound



Series: Signs of a Witch [1]
Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Implied Romance, Platonic Relationships, before canon, heavy emphasis on "implied"
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27865626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IonicCompound/pseuds/IonicCompound
Summary: In which, Sakuya accidentally (but intentionally) befriends a witch.
Relationships: Sakuma Sakuya & Original Characters, Sakuma Sakuya & Reader, Sakuma Sakuya/Original Characters, Sakuma Sakuya/Reader
Series: Signs of a Witch [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2056059
Kudos: 7





	Forewarning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're really good with animals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided that I hated the first chapter so I'm making this the real first chapter. It works better with how I'm doing this, and I'm much happier with how this turned out, so let's try that again

It’s the first day of school, and there are already whispers. Whether you hear them or not is beyond Sakuya. You don’t seem particularly bothered by them, at least. 

Sakuya heard the rumors since the start of his attendance at Hanahaki High, but he had no idea how close they were to the truth. They mainly consist of name-calling ranging from “weirdo” to “a public menace.” There are stories of your mischief, but they're as outlandish as they can get.

Sakuya _has_ seen you go between the halls during the three years, but you always hurry off before he can strike a conversation. So he’s reserving judgment for the day he actually meets you. And being classmates means there will be ample opportunity to properly meet you.

Although he doesn’t quite understand the hype behind the rumors. Your introduction to the class was as ordinary as it could get. Your grades in the previous years were as average as it gets. You're also way more agreeable than someone who'd purposefully get in trouble. 

Under your peer’s watchful eye, you were subjected to people’s attention in the first week of being classmates. But with each day passing without an incident, people began to talk. 

Some people’s guards began to drop when the first weekend passed, thinking that the rumors were exaggerated. Others became more high-strung, convinced you were planning your next diabolical plan. On the last day of your second year, you apparently stole all the chalk from the whole floor. When the teachers had discovered this, they knew who to blame but you were already out of school bounds with little proof held against you.

But as the days go by, Sakuya’s convinced that the rumors are exaggerations. There’s no way a student could do half of those things! On top of being that sneaky about it even when people heavily suspected you. You’re probably just a normal student like him, with maybe a knack for mischief.

At least that's what he thought until you brought a cat to class. 

It wasn’t notable at first. The only reason Sakuya knows is that he just happened to glance in your general direction (you sat diagonally from him). He almost got whiplash from the way he jerked his head back to your desk to make sure he wasn't mistaken.

There was something fuzzy in your desk, looking like it barely fit in the tight space. Your eyes are faced forward, with one hand gripping your pencil while the other is stroking whatever is in your desk. Connected to the thing, a piece of string dangles on the edge of the desk.

But what caught his attention was that the string was moving.

Not just swinging back and forth due to the momentum of potentially touching it (he considered that at first), but curling and twisting into shapes impossible for an inanimate object. 

He tries to get a closer look, but you somehow manage to keep it out of sight. There’s never a lick of hair outside of the teacher’s lectures, but the tail keeps moving when everyone’s eyes are forward. And he’s here, staring at you to see if you really smuggled a cat into class.

He would ask you privately, but you’re always surrounded by people, so his chances of actually talking to you are kind of low. At some point, Sakuya just gives up since it’s not distracting anyone but him.

But as time passed, more people became privy to it. He’s not sure if they have the same suspicions, but they sense something is wrong. It’s been a full month since school has started, and you’ve been suspiciously quiet.

“Yo!” A daring classmate, Hibiki, greets loudly one day during a break between class. A few heads turn your way, but it does nothing to dampen either of your smiles. Sakuya thinks you were already friends with him. It makes sense when Hibiki acts so friendly whenever he sees the two of you together. You seem to hang out with Hibiki the most out of all of your classmates. “Is there a cat in your desk?” 

The class turns silent. They’re trying to make it not obvious, himself included, but he’s been dying to know since the second week of school. Sakuya’s not sure how many people have caught on, but it’s enough to turn the atmosphere from nonchalance to tense.

“Yeah.” 

And chaos breaks out.

People crowd around you, flooding you with rapid-fire questions you can’t possibly answer. Sakuya would ask too, but he doesn't want to intrude even further with the majority of the class by your desk. The barrage doesn’t stop, and you just sit there placidly while people demand proof of the cat. The noise continues until a teacher for the next class comes in.

“Sir! The weirdo brought a cat to class!”

The teacher redirects his gaze to where the accusing finger points, silently raise his head with closed eyes. He mutters something suspiciously like, “I’m not ready for this shit,” before straightening himself. ”I’ll have to check your desk and bag.”

“Okay!” There isn’t a single hint of nervousness in your voice despite being busted. You step away from your desk, gesturing for him to go ahead.

The teacher rummages through your things for a moment and frowns. “Aya, are you sure you saw a cat? There’s nothing here.”

“What?” she splutters. “But, it was just here! We all saw it!”

A few others speak up, but the rest of the class remains silent. 

“What do you have to say for yourself?” The teacher turns to you, completely exasperated. 

You shrug as if you didn’t make a whole cat disappear. 

* * *

The cat apparently comes in and out. You don’t really have any definitive answers, only that you see the cat on campus. Some people doubt you for this, never seeing a black cat in their three years. But it's only after that whole incident that he begins to see it too.

The first time Sakuya is outside of the class is on a tall tree. Or at least, a cat that looks like the one that keeps you company. He only knows that you have a black cat under your desk, and this cat matches the description, so he goes out on a limb and assumes they're the same.

He tries to get closer to it, but the cat always keeps its distance. Whenever he takes a step forward, the cat takes two steps back. Usually making a home for itself on the tree he spots it at. 

Sakuya’s kind of worried about it falling, so he at least tells you about what he sees. 

"That makes sense. Cats are kind of fickle. The little guy only shows up in front of people he likes. So the fact that you saw him at all is a good sign. Plus, that one likes high places. He can handle himself."

He leaves it at that but still wonders. 

* * *

Sakuya regularly stops by the tree in hopes of seeing the cat. He's not making much progress in becoming more familiar with it but seeing a cute cat before school starts really lifts his spirits. So he swings by the same tree to rejuvenate himself.

This time, though, a surprising sight waits for him.

You’re sitting on a bench under a tree, with the cat on your lap. Your eyes don't seem to be focused on anything, staring into the sunny sky as you card your hands through the cat's fur.

As soon as he approaches, the cat wiggles out of your hold and darts away.

He's a little disappointed the cat ran the moment he was sighted but doesn't let the feeling linger. Instead, he walks up to you for the long-awaited introduction.

“Hey! Not eating with Hibiki today?”

“Nope! Wanted a bit of time with that guy before he ran away.”

“Is that okay? Shouldn’t you go after him?”

“Nah, he isn’t mine. Guess he just took a fancy to me! He lets me touch him and everything.”

“I’m kinda jealous, it must be nice to have him around for class.”

You look at him for a bit before your smile becomes wider. “He just likes being a bother. Cats love tight spaces, ya know?”

“Do they? I’ve never had one, so I don’t know much.”

“Yup! Basic cat 101.” You pause for a moment, staring at him before frowning. “I’m sorry, but I’m kind of terrible with names.” 

“Oh! I’m Sakuma Sakuya! We have class together!”

“Sakuma Sakuya… A fine name. It suits you well,” you say cryptically. He blinks at the change in speech, but you go back soon after. “I’ll remember it this time. Sorry about that.”

“It’s no problem, you’re always surrounded by people anyway. I’d be a little surprised if you did know my name.”

“Thanks for being so understanding!” You guffaw. You then pat the spot next to you. “Have a seat! You’re here for lunch, right? Don’t me stop you!”

“Ah, if that’s okay.” He takes the spot, and the rest of lunch goes surprisingly smoothly. You prattle more about cats and how to please the one in school. 

Michi is what you call the cat. Sakuya laughs and calls him by the same name. 

* * *

It's been a month, and he still hasn't gotten any closer to Michi in that time. He thought things might be different if Michi sees him with you, but no dice. Sakuya eventually consults you on what he should do, and you seem to have the answer.

"Should give him cat grass! Or at least leave it under the tree," you say. "Offerings are always a good start. Shows a sign of goodwill on your part, and who knows. Maybe he'll reciprocate with a gift of his own."

The next day, he leaves the grass you recommended under the tree where he sees the cat linger. He’s still concerned about it every time he sees the cat up there, but you assured him that Michi has it under control. Sakuya really wants to stick around to see if Michi accepts, but he has never seen the cat climb down the tree, and he assumes this will continue being the case. So Sakuya leaves and prays Michi accepts.

When he comes back after the bell rings, Michi is on the ground for once. Almost as if it was there waiting for him. He still doesn't let Sakuya leave his peripheral vision, but he beams when Michi doesn't dart away. The cat fluffs up whenever he tries to touch, a warning according to you, but it’s enough to leave him ecstatic for the rest of the day.

* * *

While interacting with animals isn't a big deal, they apparently didn't limit themselves to the school grounds. There is one incident that sticks out when thinking about your affinity with animals. 

There is a heavy downcast when he sees you walking home with an umbrella hanging on the side of your bag. Even with the distance between you, he could tell that you're completely drenched with your uniform being completely soaked through, clinging to you like a second skin. It gives you a more sullen air, your steps missing their typical lightness. 

On top of that, you seem to be carrying some type of weight. One that requires both of your arms to hold. And while Sakuya isn't the closest to you out of all of their classmates, he approaches you anyway, calling your name. He runs up to shield you from the onslaught of the rain and double-takes what it is in your hands. 

"Is that a turtle?"

You give a toothy grin that almost seemed inappropriate considering the situation. "Close! It's a tortoise, a Galápagos Tortoise, to be exact. Tortoiseshells are usually bigger and more round compared to turtles. The pattern on his shell and the shape of his limbs are what gives it away, you see?”

You hold it away from Sakuya but tilt it so he can look more closely. Although you shift away when he gets closer, so he takes it as a warning and keeps his distance from the reptile. 

Most of the minutiae you brought up are lost on him, but there’s something a little off about it. Sure, it definitely looks the part, but it is significantly larger than any tortoise he’s ever imagined. He thought of them as little guys, just big enough to fit in someone’s hand. But the reptile is practically the size of your torso. 

It doesn't appear to be very happy to be carried, looking malevolent even. Sakuya imagines tortoises to have a soft head, hence the hard shell, but the creature in your arms looks jagged, and what he assumes as a beak is sharper than the local crows. It’s a little off-putting, and something he wouldn’t expect. 

But Sakuya doesn’t know much about animals in general, so he just nods before moving his umbrella under her. Her grin grows wider, then settles next to him as they continue their walk.

“That’s amazing, I didn’t realize that they could be found in Japan.”

“Right? So I’m heading off to my place so I can talk to some people who may be able to take proper care of him.”

“Are you sure that’s okay? Don’t we need to call a zoo or something? Aren’t they more equipped to take care of this?”

“Nah, I know a lot of people, so I’ll definitely get this sorted out! They're really knowledgeable, so I trust them to take care of it properly.”

He doesn’t doubt that. Your friends at school seem like a ragtag group of different people who seem to be knowledgeable in all sorts of subjects. It wouldn't surprise him if the company you keep outside of school is as well-informed as you are.

“If it’s okay with you, I can walk you to wherever you’re taking him?” Sakuya offers. “Or I can hold him while you hold the umbrella?”

“Thank you, Sakuma! You can hold the umbrella! My hands are kinda dirty, and I’d feel bad if I dirtied your things.”

“I don’t mind at all! Plus, he looks really heavy...”

“Nah, we’re good! I might not look like it, but I’m pretty strong!”

Reluctantly letting the topic go, you guide the conversations to lighter subjects like school until they get to your house. You bid your farewells, and he's left to wonder about what just transpired when he's in the comforts of his own bed. 

* * *

The next day, when he’s fully expecting you to stay home with a cold from the rain, you unexpectedly come up to his desk with a sunny smile as if you weren't soaked to the bone the other day. “Hey, Sakuma! Just wanted you to know that the little guy found a new home!”

“Already? It’s only been a day though?”

“I know, but like I said, I know a lot of people who know a lot about animals! As soon as they found out I had the guy in my house, we made an appointment and everything!”

“Are you okay? The tortoise wasn’t too much trouble after I left?”

“No problem whatsoever!” You laugh. “He was a bit mad when I put him in a tank, though. Other than that, it was smooth sailing from there!”

She talks a bit more about the situation before getting dragged off by their classmate, who wanted to know more about the situation. While he does have questions, it's already out of their hands. So he just takes her word at face value.

That was the case until he saw a very familiar shell on his way back home. 

With the weather being favorable despite the last few days of rain, Sakuya decided to practice his script outside the dorms. The weather forecast also said that today would be clear skies and Matsukawa encouraged it. He already had the script on hand, ready to practice all of the drills, until he saw a familiar shell hunkering right by the riverbed.

He runs towards it, almost tumbling down the hill with his rush. “Hey there, what are you doing here? I thought you got a new home?”

The tortoise turns its head to face him, and Sakuya immediately feels something wrong.

The air shifts uncomfortably, slowing his run slows to a walk, but there's even more urgency behind his steps. Unlike before, the tortoise doesn't look snappish but rather pleased with Sakuya's appearance. There's no reason to think otherwise, but it appears to be beckoning him to approach, to get closer so he can help. He has no reason to not help, so he listens to the lull and reaches toward the tortoise, heart calm even though _something_ is nagging him in the back of his mind. 

But there's no reason to be wary. Sakuya's going to help the poor tortoise. So he reaches his hand out, and the tortoise's beady eyes glow the closer he gets.

But before he makes contact, his arm is yanked back.

The force of it pulls him straight to his feet and away from the scene. Sakuya blinks, slowly realizing that he's being dragged off somewhere. It takes him a moment to reorient himself, but when he turns his head back, he sees the tortoise's head snapped forward, jaws catching air. Its legs remain stationary, but its expression is now fierce, it's wrinkly contorting even further with hateful eyes. 

He pales when he realizes it barely missed his fingers.

Sakuya turns to his savior, realizing it’s you. A fraction of the tension melts away before sensing that something is wrong. 

Your usual whimsy is nowhere to be found, a set of stern lines replacing them instead. It’s such a stark contrast from your playful personality, and it throws him further into a loop. You seem older. Much older than any high schooler he’s ever met. His questions die on his tongue, and he doesn’t resist the pull to redirect him from the riverbed and to the main street.

Once the two of you enter a public bench, you set him there and glance at him over, then nodded as if what you saw is acceptable.

“That was a close call,” you say, breaking him out of the trance. “If you got any closer, he would have bitten your arm off. That guy's beak and jaw strength are no joke. You should go straight home, the weather looks like it’s going to turn for the worst later.”

He looks up, and true enough, there is an overcast. “What about the tortoise?” Words still feel heavy on his tongue, but he manages to get them out. 

You shoot him a sardonic smile, and Sakuya finds that it doesn’t suit you at all. He'd rather much see you joking around than adding on to the somber mood. “Can you put your trust in me? I know I said that it was taken care of, but there was a bit of an issue. I’ll definitely be more careful next time.”

He dazedly nods, and your smile softens. You lightly brush his bangs, leaving a tingling sensation from the skin contact. A strange feeling sweeps over him, flushing brightly at the intimate gesture. “Be careful on your way back,” you whisper. Goosebumps rose on his arms, heart beating faster the longer she stares. “You never know what’s lurking just beyond.” 

You leave him there, heading back in the direction you dragged him out of. If he had half a mind to, he would follow to make sure that everything was okay. But instead, his feet bring him straight to the dorms before his mind can catch up, and he’s left wondering if you’re okay.

* * *

You don’t show up for school for a few days, doing nothing to calm his nerves. 

“Do you think they’re okay?” He asks Michi. Sakuya’s gotten to the point where Michi is willing to stand within a one-meter radius of him, but no closer than that. Sakuya has learned to accept this.

He merely stares back, eyes unblinking, and no lack of discouragement.

* * *

The day you do come back, and you’re a little more distant. You deflect his questions and give vague answers. 

“It’s taken care of,” you simply say. 

Sakuya’s curious but he senses that it wouldn’t be appropriate to ask. He keeps his questions to himself and tries not to think too hard about what could have happened if you weren’t there at the right time.


End file.
